Additional Lights on Bicycles

Question

Keith asked: I have had questions about these lights and was wondering if you knew the legal answer about them. Blue Bike Brightz LED Bicycle Safety Light Lightweight Fashion Accessory they light the ground up while riding. www.bikebrightz.com

Answer

Bicycles can be equipped with lights in addition to those required.

s. 316.2065 – Bicycle Regulations

(7) Every bicycle in use between sunset and sunrise shall be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and a lamp and reflector on the rear each exhibiting a red light visible from a distance of 600 feet to the rear.A bicycle or its rider may be equipped with lights or reflectors in addition to those required by this section.

The statutes do not specify what those additional lights can be except possibly as follows.Those in this statute do not seem to be applicable to your question unless they are considered clearance lamps, which must be certain colors.

(1)Front clearance lamps, identification lamps, and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the front or on the side near the front of a vehicle shall display or reflect an amber color.

(2)Rear clearance lamps, identification lamps, and those marker lamps and reflectors mounted on the rear or on the sides near the rear of a vehicle shall display or reflect a red color.

(3)All lighting devices and reflectors mounted on the rear of any vehicle shall display or reflect a red color, except the stop light or other signal device, which may be red, amber, or yellow ….

Clearly, the blue lights and red lights visible forward of the vehicle are not legal, but there is seemingly no prohibition to the use of green lights.

s. 316.2397 – Certain Lights Prohibited; Exceptions

(1)No person shall drive or move or cause to be moved any vehicle or equipment upon any highway within this state with any lamp or device thereon showing or displaying a red or blue light visible from directly in front thereof except for certain vehicles hereinafter provided.

(2)It is expressly prohibited for any vehicle or equipment, except police vehicles, to show or display blue lights.

2 comments on “Additional Lights on Bicycles”

I really don’t see why it would be illegal for a bike to have these blue lights if they were not flashing and the person was not pretending to be a police officer. But you know how they do laws in this State, instead of breaking it down they just make one law that covers everything, even if it doesn’t make any sense.
Then again the FHP might not say anything about it but if I ride my bike to work I deal with Pinellas Park, Clearwater and Saint Petersburg police and they might issue a ticket, this would be a good court case but would cost a few dollars to push it so I say to just stay away from blue lights on a bike for now.